Seeing the Unseen
by artistfreak99
Summary: AU: Levi lives in a world he doesn't know, but in his head he sees and hears things from another life. A life he lived. Present day setting, schizophrenic!Levi, future chapters may be triggering. Eren x Levi. More characters will appear later.
1. Chapter 1

Levi Rivaille looked around himself frantically, trying to recall how exactly he had ended up in this situation.  
><em> , your friend told us you said you've been seeing some people you've never met before, can you explain that?<em>  
><em>Levi nodded, his eyes darting from left to right as he spoke, "They're...these people. Friends, I think. They help me. Tell me when I mess up, that things aren't always my fault. I knew them, though...just not in this life."<em>  
><em>"How do you mean?" The man had asked, waving to one of the nurses behind him.<em>  
><em>"I use to be someone in a different life. A whole other world. And these people...these friends, were from then, too," Levi closed his eyes for a moment, "I know I sound crazy but I swear I'm not. I really do see them. And hear them. They're really there!"<em>

Oh, thats how.  
>Levi looked down at his hands, both of them covered in mud. He knew he had to ditch his clothes, but what was he supposed to wear?<br>He decided it was best to just keep what he had on-a hospital gown over some blue scrubs- before moving on. He was barefoot, but it didn't matter. He needed to run, and fast.  
>Where he was <em>going,<em> well, not even he knew. But what he did know was: he wasn't crazy. He knew what he saw, they were there. They were real. All of them.  
>Eld Jinn.<br>Gunther Schultz.  
>Oluo Bozado.<br>Petra Ral.  
>Erwin Smith.<br>Hanji Zoë.  
>Levi knew that some of them were alive. In a different world. One he had been told about, and greatly feared.<br>There were others. Only voices. But they all had names. He just didn't know who was who yet.  
>His breath caught in his throat when he heard someone whispering to him;<br>_'I owe you my life. We all do. We will keep you safe, Captain.'_  
>He shook his head, trying to focus at the task at hand: running. So far he was doing pretty well.<br>But a loud crashing sound caused him to stumble back against a tree, his heart racing almost as fast as his thoughts were;  
><em>Is it them? Are they here for me?<em>  
>Something snapped in his head when he heard a violent screaming, a roar that vibrated through his bones and echoed in his mind. It was her. That...thing, that had killed all his friends.<br>Who lived in another world.  
>Where giants ate people for fun.<br>2000 years in the future.  
>Totally, %100 believable.<br>At least Levi thought so. And right now that sound shook him to the core, causing him to fall to his knees and put his hands over his ears. He cried out, screaming until he couldn't breathe. The pain in his head was unbearable, and all he wanted to do right then was sleep. Sleep forever. Soon enough, he started fading in and out of consciousness. His pain was over...at least for a little while.  
>Levi felt a weight on his body, quickly realizing it was a blanket.<br>_So I didn't even make that far? They already got me back? They're never gonna believe me!_  
>He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. He didn't feel as tired anymore, but his cold, gray eyes said something much different.<br>He felt almost cheated for being so small, for always being looked down upon. But he knew in some other universe he was someone brave, he was someone important.  
>"Hey? You okay? I brought you another blanket if case you were cold," he heard a voice ask him, before a light switched on in the dark room.<br>Levi looked around. This was definitely not a hospital...this...was a real room. In...a cabin of some sort? It seemed vaguely familiar to him.  
>He looked up at who had asked him the question, his face turning red as he saw the person who had saved him.<br>"I got you some water. Found you down by Maria creek, just laying there shivering. I, uh...changed your clothes, too. You've been asleep for a while...so..." He looked up at him, smiling shyly.  
>He had dark brown hair, and such bright green eyes Levi thought they would burn through him. He sat in a chair next to his bed, wringing his hands in an anxious manner.<br>"I'm...um...Eren. Eren Yaeger. What's your name? Do you...remember?"  
>He cleared his throat, finally catching Eren's eye, "Levi."<br>"Just Levi?"  
>Levi nodded in response, and Eren stood slowly, "Well, Levi. I already made dinner. You can come have some if you want. And hopefully you can tell me why you were out in my woods."<br>He watched as the mysterious man walked out of the room, finally looking down at himself. He knew what Eren had meant earlier, and he didn't mind, really. The hospital staff would help him change all the time. Although this was a little different.  
>He didn't know this man, or what he did. But if he was nice enough to take a sobbing and shaking adult into his home, he probably wasn't that bad.<br>He swallowed and put his hand up to his lips, reaching for the glass that was placed on the small bedside table. He managed to finish it fairly quickly.  
>There wasn't much else in the room, besides a bed, the small table beside it, a closet door and a chair.<br>The clothes he had on felt a lot more comfortable than his hospital scrubs, and gave him a warm feeling inside and out.  
>Levi stood slowly, testing his ability to stand at the moment. He only stumbled slightly, but he fell against the chair, close to hitting his head on the bed post.<br>He sighed in relief as he waited for his vision to refocus before heading for the only other door in the room.  
>It was dark in the hallway, but he saw a light not too far from where he stood. He felt along the wall, the smooth, rounded wood somehow comforting him.<br>He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around quickly.  
>"Woah, woah. Calm down, didn't mean to scare you. Just making sure you didn't get hurt or anything. You seemed pretty knocked out when I found you last night," he stepped past him, walking through what seemed like a living room and into kitchen, "Well, come on then. I wont wait all night, food'll get cold."<br>He followed behind him, not really getting a good look at the living room.  
>But boy, was that kitchen fancy. Levi had never seen anything so beautiful before. The table tops were granite, and there was a breakfast nook that crossed to the living room. There was a old-looking stove and what seemed like a refrigerator. But he couldn't tell: he'd only ever seen one on TV.<br>Eren was already sitting at a small wooden dining table, and majority of the dishes laid out were ones Levi had never seen.  
>"You okay, Mister Levi?"<br>He laughed softly, pulling out a seat and sitting down without hesitation, "Im fine. You don't have to call me that. I should probably be addressing you more properly."  
>Eren shook his head, handing him a plate, "I know I seem a bit odd, just taking in a stranger, and Im a stranger to you. But...I heard you screaming...you sounded...hurt...so I had Armin help me find you."<br>He tilted his head, "Is that your friend?"  
>He shrugged, "You could say that." He whistled, and within seconds a German Shepard came bounding down the hallway and jumped into Eren's lap.<br>"Is that a real dog?" Levi's eyes were wide as he stared at them, watching as the dog stole some food off Eren's plate before being scolded.  
>"Yeah. Where have you been living? Under a rock?"<br>"In a hospital," he answered, his voice serious and flat.  
>"Oh, golly...Im sorry. Well, Im pretty sure he'll like you. But he's a bit on the crazy side. Barks at nothing all the time. But thats alright, I love him all the same." He scratched behind Armin's ear, earning a yip from him.<br>"I know how he feels," Levi muttered.  
>The dogs ears perked up and he looked over at Levi, trotting around the table to him before resting his head in Levi's lap, letting out a soft whine.<br>He smiled softly, petting his head as gently as he could, "We're a lot alike, Armin. We'll get along well."  
>Eren laughed, "Well, whenever your finished, I'll be just down the hall. Let me now if you need anything." He stood, bringing his plate over to the sink and setting it on the countertop next to it.<br>The dog watched as his owner walked away, waiting until he was out of sight to lean up and yank off the necklace Levi had been wearing.  
>"Hey...I need that," he tried to keep his voice low, avoiding any kind of yelling.<br>The dog seemed to smirk at him, treading down the dark hallway and nudging open one of the doors.  
>Levi got up, chasing after him. He slowly pushed open the door, watching as the dog dropped his necklace into Eren's palm.<br>His face was red, absolutely bright red as he stared at the scene before him. Seeing another guy without his shirt on made Levi's heart pound.  
>"This yours?" Eren held up the necklace, holding it out to him.<br>"Y-yeah," he took it, fiddling with for a moment so he could wear it again.  
>"What's the symbol mean?"<br>"Wings of freedom."  
>"Hm...sounds familiar. Is a family heirloom or something?" Eren sat on the edge of his bed, slipping his shoes off and laying back.<br>"Oh...no...I...have the same symbol tattooed on my back...its...something that means a lot to mean."  
>"Hey, wait a sec! Thats the symbol on Armin's collar," Eren chuckled, shaking his head. "Thats so weird."<br>"Let me see," Levi's face was blank, but inside his emotions were raging.  
>"Uh, alright," he called for the dog and waited a few moments for him to come back into the room. Armin bounded through the door, jumping up into Eren's lap. He fiddled with collar for a moment before taking it off and handing it to him, "He had it on when I got first got him. And Ive always had him. Ever since I was a kid."<br>_'Its real.'_  
><em>'He's one of us.'<em>  
><em>'The dog, too.'<em>  
><em> No. I just want one normal thing in my life, please.<em>  
><em>'You know its true, Captain. He can help you. And then we can go.'<em>  
>"No!" Levi cried out, falling to his knees and dropping his head in his hands.<br>"Levi? Are you alright? Did I say something?" Eren jumped up, rushing to his side and hugging him tightly, "Hey, you're okay."  
>"I don't want them to go. I don't want to be the only one left."<br>"Don't want who to go? Levi...tell me what's going on. I want to help you."  
>"You'll think Im crazy! You'll hate me..." He looked down at his shaking hands, breathing heavily.<br>Eren took Levi's hands into his own, "You think I'd leave you just like that? Usually by now I'd have let you go. Told you to leave. That's what I do once I've helped someone out here find their way back to the city. But I never asked you to go, so please...tell me what's going on."  
><em>'Tell him, Captain.'<em>  
><em>'We know him.'<em>  
><em>'He is the one you saved.'<em>  
><em>'The one you took care of.'<em>  
><em>'The boy-'<em>  
><em> Who is a titan.<em>  
>He looked up at him, taking a deep breath, "Alright...but hear me out..."<br>A few hours later, Levi lay with his head in Eren's lap , both of them on his bed, talking non-stop while the brunette played with his hair.  
>"-and they said that I need to trust you. Because I guess you've always trusted me and the decisions I make," he stared up at him, "So that's what I've decided. Ill trust you and whatever choices you make and I won't try to derail you."<br>Eren smiled softly, "You should sleep. We can talk about this in the morning."  
>"I...its hard for me to sleep...without music...can you...sing to me?"<br>He nodded, blushing as he closed his eyes and started to sing. Levi quickly feel asleep to the sound as if it were pure heaven to him, and that's how he felt.  
>Eren sighed, shaking his head.<br>"What have I gotten into?"


	2. Chapter 2

Levi opened his eyes as a sliver of light shone on the right side of his face. He sat up, stretching his arms out before yawning.

He practically jumped out of his skin as he saw Eren step into the room, drying his hair with a towel, "You wanna shower? The hot water here doesn't last very long."

His face flushed a bright red as he nodded, and for the second time in the past 24 hours he couldn't take his eyes off the brunette's bare chest.

"Well, listen, I made breakfast, its on the table. There's clothes set out for you if you want them, and I can drive you into town later if you want."

"No! No...please...I...want to stay," he stood up, crossing the room and standing in front of him.

"Do you want to stay, or do you not want to go?"

Levi stared into those wide green eyes, his gray ones cold and emotionless as he thought about the meaning behind his question.

"I want to stay. Its nice here...Ive never been somewhere like this."

Eren turned and started to walk down the hall, calling back to him,"I still have to go into town and get a few things. You can leave if you really want...go somewhere far away, I guess."

The raven-haired man sighed, leaning against the doorway. He watched him leave, hearing the door open and close.

Hearing a small clacking on the floor, Levi turned to go down the hallway and into the bathroom. He closed the door, locking it behind him. He needed to be alone. Or alone as he could get with so many voices in his head.

He had craved this pain for_ years_, his stay at the hospital the only thing preventing him from it.

_'Levi, no!'_

_'Come on, Captain...don't...'_

_'Don't start this again!'_

He shook his head, ignoring them, and ignoring the pawing and whimpering outside the door from Eren's large German Shepard. Even if he was a big dog, he was too afraid to do anything but think.

"Go, Armin! You won't understand...you won't ever understand."

In another life, Levi had gotten all his friends killed. He had _murdered_ them. And he loved them. So he gave himself the punishment he felt suitable for this blame.

He dug around in the cabinet under the bathroom sink, finding a razor and snapping it open, pulling the blades out.

He stood, running them under cold water for moment-who knows where they had been?- before sitting back on the floor. It may not have been sanitary, but he /needed/ this pain.

Levi inhaled sharply, the first cut bringing back a flood of painful memories. But he kept going.

_Just one more._

_One more._

_One more._

And it went on like that for almost 40 minutes before he finally set them down, pulling off his borrowed clothes and stepping inside the shower.

The hot water made his open wounds burn, and he could only smile at that.

He stood there underneath the stream of water for what might have seemed like hours, but the screaming in his head made him lose track of time.

_'Why? You were doing so well...and now...'_

He grabbed a towel, drying off.

_'You didn't deserve that, Levi.'_

He sighed, pulling on the fresh set of clothes that were laid out on the counter. He took the few blades, rinsing them off again before hiding them in the small space between the wall and the counter, knowing he'd be back for more later.

_'You will regret this, Captain. You will. You always do.'_

Levi stepped out into the hall, the sweatshirt he wore bringing him real comfort for a moment. The scent made him smile, the thought of Eren wearing this on breezing nights.

But his stomach dropped when he heard the door open again.


	3. Chapter 3

"Levi? Are you-nah. He probably already left, right, boy?" Eren set a few bags on the counter, before kneeling to pet Armin for a moment.

Levi went across the hall silently, crawling back onto the bed before closing his eyes.

He still wanted to sleep for forever.

_'Tell him.'_

_'At least do that.'_

_No! He'll think I'm a freak_, his mind raced as he watched a figure step through the door, waving at him.

He blinked, squeezing his eyes shut and opening them again, knowing what he had seen wasnt real. It couldn't be. Oluo was dead-no, he wasn't even a real person.

"Im still here, brat!"

He could hear Eren jog down the hallway, and saw him peek around the corner, "Hey, you okay? You look so pale..."

"Yeah. Im fine," he forced a half smile as he muttered a response.

"I...I'll go and get you some water, alright?" Levi nodded in response, closing his eyes as Eren turned and went back out into the hall.

Armin sat patiently in front of him, blocking his path to the kitchen.

"Come on, boy. I gotta make sure our guest isn't sick." The dog looked up at him, his eyes pleading.

"Alright. Show me what you want," he sighed, following the dog down the hall and into the bathroom, "What do you want from in here?"

He jumped up on the counter, something he knew he was never to do, and began to paw at the corner.

"Armin! Get down right now! I dont care what it is that you want, you get dow-" he froze, looking past him as he jumped back to the ground. There was a glint from the wall, which sent off alarms in Eren's head.

He leaned closer, reaching out to pick at whatever it was wedged between the wall and the cabinet. He flinched, pulling his hand away quickly, "Ow. Damn it. What the hell..." He pull each blade out one by one, putting them flat on his palm before squatting in front of his dog.

"Did he put these here?" He whispered quietly, and Armin immediately looked away, running down the hall and into his room. He hopped onto the bed next to a sleeping Levi, laying beside him.

The brunette bit his lip, trying to figure out what to do. This hole just kept getting deeper and deeper, but here he was. Helping Levi dig for god only knows what.

He went down the hall, looking in at the sleeping man. His black hair hung in his face, and his face was so relaxed. Eren smiled, moving to kneel next to the bed, just watching him.

He loved the way Levi's body curled around the dog's, and how affectionate he was when he slept. He bit his lip, snapping his fingers to get Armin off the bed. The black haired man reached out, his hand latching onto Eren's shirt-the lost of presence next to him had woken him from his half-asleep state. He tugged on it lazily, his eyes opening half-way.

He sighed, closing his eyes again before yanking on it so much he pulled Eren forward and onto the bed, "Alright, alright. Give me a minute, Mister fussie pants."

"Hmph," he tugged at it again, until he crawled on the bed next to him.

"Aren't you warm?" He bit his lip, moving to pull the sweatshirt off of Levi-he needed to see just how bad it was.

But Levi was already asleep, so when Eren finally pulled off the jacket, he didn't flinch and try to hide his arms.

Eren took one of his hands, pressing Levi's fingertips to his own, staring down at his arms. He clenched his jaw, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Please...tell me why..." He shook his head, "All I could think when I found you in the woods was about how much I wanted to keep you, and hold you here with me for an eternity. What you said...that whole other life...Id want to live it...but only with you."

He didn't move, other than his chest rising and falling with every breath he took.

He reached up to cup Levi's chin in his hands, admiring how soft his features were right in that moment. Eren leaned closer, trying to get a better look at the few freckles dotted across his nose. Levi snuggled closer, his cheek brushing against Eren's.

He smiled as his face turned bright red, running his thumb along the smaller man's bottom lip.

"What if I...loved you...back then...or...in the future...in that other life, would it be different?" He knew he wouldn't get an answer, but saying it out loud made him feel better. "Would you be able to love me back?"

Eren bit his lip and took a deep breath, "I can't remember who you are, or what my other life was like...but I can remember having feelings for you...and not in this life. I trust you because you said you put your trust in me...and I want to help you. So...let me do that...please?" He felt tears well up in his eyes, his dog jumping on the bed next to him and licking his cheek. This earned a soft smile from Eren, but he still cried for several moments before Levi finally opened his eyes.

"E-Eren?" He blinked a few times, reaching up to touch the brunette's cheek.

He blushed, trying to hold in his tears, "H-hey...you okay? I...Im really sorry...I only want to help...I wanted to see. It was selfish of me."

Realizing he had been stripped of his sweatshirt, he wrapped his arms around his own torso self-conciously, "D-don't look."

"Levi, its okay. I've seen. And I think that they make you look strong and beautiful...though I don't want them to be there, I love seeing them."

He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed, "I got blood on your sweatshirt...I'm really sorry."

The brunette shrugged, "I have plenty more you can wear. I can make you something a lot warmer if you like. That...reminds me...can I ask you something? And I need an answer."

"Of course."

"How long are you staying?"

He blinked, brushing an imaginary speck of dust off his pants, "I don't know where I'm going, or what Im doing. I...guess I'll stay for as long as you like."

"No. That's not an answer from _you_. That's you trying to put this on me. Just tell me when you're leaving..."

Levi sighed, "I'm almost ten years older than you know...yet you seem more experienced than I am. The thing is...no one has ever...taken care of me before. No one wanted to watch over me, or talk to me. No one would spend time with me or do things with me. So...I'll stay for a few weeks, I think. I can't say exactly how long, but Im staying for a while, Eren. So deal with it."

He stared at him as the smaller man turned to face him, his green eyes fixated on some small point on Levi's cheek.

"Eren?" He got in front of his face, probably closer than necessary.

He jumped, but kept very little distance between them. "Yeah?"

"Im gonna stay, alright?"

"I understand...I can sleep in the living room, and you can stay in here.

Levi shook his head, grabbing the front of his shirt and tugging him even closer, their lips mere inches apart, "No. You're staying in here. With me." He gave another tug to the front of his shirt, drawing their lips together.

Eren's heart pounded as he melted underneath Levi's touch, completely giving in to him and kissing back without hesitation.

The smaller man pulled away after a moment, clearing his throat, "Im staying. For a while."

In a psych center in town, which was about an hour away from that mysterious little man and his Live-in-the-wild friend, one black haired woman in her 20's stood at the front desk, yelling at one of the nurses.

"What do you mean, he escaped? How could he have gotten out of this place? God damn it. You better find my friend, or I swear," Mikasa Ackerman was never one to yell, but at a time like this, yelling seemed like the best option in her opinion.

"Im so sorry, Miss," the nurse replied, clasping her hands together, "But was in an alliance with one of our staff, and managed to be assisted in his escape."

"Then _get him back_. He is sick, so ill to the point where he can't take a step without talking to some fictional being created by his mind," she heaved, banging her fist on the counter. She rested her head in her hand, sighing, "God only knows whats happened to him."


	4. Chapter 4

Eren lay a hand on the raven-haired man's waist, smiling gently as he tilted his head to kiss Levi once he had finished talking.

Levi's face got warm, his cheeks turning red from embarrassment. He wanted to pull away to take a breath, but this moment was too mesmerizing to do that. Kissing Eren back for as long as he could, he reached up to run his hands through his hair. After several moments, they broke the kiss, gasping for breath.

"Are you...okay? Do...you want...water? Do you feel dizzy or...?" The brunette managed to ask between breaths.

Levi shook his head, "I do feel a bit dizzy, but...I'll be okay. Im use to it."

Eren sighed, laying his head on Levi's shoulder, "You shouldn't be." He hugged him, but only managed to get the same blank and pale expression he always got from Levi.

"I'll go get you some water," he turned, sliding off the bed and standing, "Armin, stay here, okay?" The dog lifted his head, moving to jump on the bed as Eren left the room.

A few minutes later, the brunette came back to a sleeping Levi, laughing softly as he set the water on the table beside the bed.

Eren spent the next few hours-all while Levi was resting-to remove the locks off the doors in his cabin-like home. Albeit the lock on the front and back door, which only he had keys to.

It was already evening when he was finished, and he was laying on the kitchen floor, slightly exhausted from all his work. He heard footsteps from the hallway, and he rose his head to look up at the sight of Levi rubbing his eyes lazily, "What time is it?"

He sat up, yawning, "Um...around 4-ish? Im not sure. Haven't really been paying attention to time."

Eren sighed, standing up with a look of desperation on his face. To Levi, he looked as if he just been beaten by...titans. Underneath his eyes were dark, showing he obviously had a lack of sleep. And by the way he wore clothes that were too large gave way to the fact he probably didn't eat but maybe once a day.

"Are you tired?" He asked in a soft voice, stepping forward and looking in his eyes.

"Not really. I don't sleep much."

Levi stared at him, his grey and unfeeling eyes warming at the thought of this beautiful boy rarely eating, not sleeping, consistently working-whatever he _was_ working on-and not having enough time to just..._be_.

Eren turned away, moving to the living room to sit on the couch sitting there.

His living room was very plain: a small and simple black couch sitting in front of an old-fashioned fire place; a bookshelf stocked full with books Levi had never heard of placed to a wall left of the couch; and the last thing that caught the man's eye was the stereo sitting in the corner of the room, along with a stack of CD's that was almost as tall as him.

The only reason such a thing was shimmering to him, was because he had never _listened_ to music. Just people singing every so often. He had never touched an instrument, let alone see or hear one.

Levi went and stood by it, touching the stack of CDs curiously.

"You want to listen to something? I don't have anything recent, but there's some good oldies in there."

He picked one up hesitantly, trying to figure out how to open it. Eren chuckled, "Need some help there?"

"I've never...listened to anything but people singing...in person."

His eyes grew wide, "Are you _serious_? You've never heard a band play before or anything?"

Levi shook his head, his face returning to its usual blank expression as he set the CD back in its place, "No. I never had the chance, being trapped in hell after all."

Eren sat up, grinning, "I have an idea."

_Oh god._

_'Look, Captain. He is taking you out on a date.'_

_'Oh, Levi! He is such a cute little thing, say yes!'_

"What is it, brat?"

Eren stood, crossing the room to take Levi's hand in his own, "I'm taking you to a concert."

"What in God's name is that?" He cringed, pulling his hand away.

"You'll see. It won't be til Saturday-Someone called to see if I could go work out in the country...so...I'll be gone for a few days. I promise I'll be back on Friday night."

"Its Wednesday, Eren."

"I know. I...Im leaving tonight, actually. I...can I trust you?"

Levi scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Yes. Im 30 years old, Eren-"

"31," he interrupted.

"Whatever. So you're just gonna leave me here alone?" He turned away, already heading back down the hall.

"Armin will be here!"

"He isn't human, brat! Doesn't count."

Eren sighed, shaking his head as he rubbed his temples. His dog trotted up beside him, looking up at him from at his feet with a sad look in his eyes.

"Sorry, Armin. You still have to stay here. You know what to do if something happens to him, right?"

He turned, walking in a circle around his legs before moving to nudge a photo that was on the bottom corner of the shelf. It fell over, and Eren knew that he understood.

"That's right, Armin. You run as fast as you can," he went to kneel by him, petting his head, "And get my sister."


	5. Chapter 5

Levi lay awake in bed-Eren's bed to be exact-twiddling his thumb as he talked to his best friend.

"I mean, what should I do about it? I know he believes me and all, but...how can I get him to help me?"

_ 'Help you move on?'_

"Yeah, I guess so," he shrugged, biting his lip as he sat up, staring at someone who wasn't really there-but he saw him anyway.

_'That is a great question. But I believe it is one for you to answer yourself, Captain.'_

"Erwin, I know you're my best friend, but when I ask for advice, I want serious advice."

He heard a laugh that wasn't his own, which made him smile slightly.

_Levi, you've always been so persistent. So be persistent in the fact of learning things on your own.'_

"Ugh! Thats what I've been trying to do! Usually I'd just ask Mikasa for advice, but I can't go back in the city. Don't force me to turn to Petra, or worse, Hanji."

_'Oi, don't be so harsh, Captain. Have a little fun.'_

He rolled his eyes, "Don't interrupt, Hanji."

_'Listen, Levi. I only have one thing to say; listen with your heart, and stop listening with your head.'_

Levi sighed, closing his eyes and letting his facial muscles relax. He let his mind go clear, hoping his heart would tell him something.

_What do I do?_

Something inside of him screamed, tearing at his being and shouting at him in such a straight-forward voice, it chilled him to the core.

_Oh._


	6. Chapter 6

Eren had made to sure to keep enough stock of food for Levi to manage on his own for a few days. He taught him how to work the stove, and to only use it if he couldn't handle the microwave anymore; which is something that always brought Levi to the conclusion that new technology is nothing but hell. The brunette did his best to keep Levi from beating the thing with a metal bat, and now it seemed like he could tolerate how the whole thing worked.

So within an hour, Eren had left, driving almost 8 hours to work in the middle of nowhere.

It wasn't an enjoyable experience for him, but he could only tolerate it because it was one of his old friends.

It was familiar to walk up the stone path to the front of the Bodt household, knock twice, and be greeted with a smiling, freckle-faced 6-year old.

"Hey, Logan. Is your dad home?" Eren smiled down at him, reaching to ruffle his hair as he stepped inside and closed the door.

"Yeah. But he's in bed right now. Mommy says he's sick, so daddy told me you could talk to mommy instead," Logan grinned, grabbing Eren's hand and dragging him down the hall.

Eren was always fascinated by Logan, considering he really had _two_ dads, and not one. It was amazing what medical technology could do these days.

The brunette followed the tiny and fragile looking child into the kitchen, where Jean was sitting at the table and going through a stack of papers, attempting to organize them.

"Mommy! Uncle Eren is here."

Jean looked up at him, rolling his eyes before chuckling.

"Logan, why don't you go tell dad that I'll bring him his dinner in a little bit?"

The 6-year old nodded, turning and sprinting down the hall and upstairs to tell his dad-Marco-what Jean had asked him to.

"He's got your hair, you know," Eren smiled, sitting down at the table across from him.

"Shut it, Yaeger. I don't want to hear it. Let's just talk about what you came for, 'kay?" Jean snapped, pushing away the papers before crossing his arms and staring at the brunette.

"How bad is it?"

"Worse than before, obviously. But every time he starts feeling better, it doesn't last for but a few days."

"So the seizures have progressed?" Eren sighed, rubbing his temples. "What about the dreams? Is he able to remember anything?"

Jean shook his head, standing up and beginning to pace back and forth in the kitchen, "I can't get anything out of him. Its like he doesn't _want_ to remember."

"Maybe he doesn't, Jean. It makes sense, with the conclusions I've drawn from the unusual burn scars that appear suddenly-"

"You're a doctor, Eren! You're supposed to help him get better!"

"Yes, and I'm also supposed to deal with every situation extremely carefully. Now, could you please sit down and answer my questions?"

He sighed, sitting back down in his seat again before putting his head in his hands, "Alright."

"How often are the seizures now?" Eren pulled out a small notepad, grabbing a pen that was lying on the table and quickly jotting down some notes.

"Once a day. At the same time."

"What time would that be?"

"Three p.m. Right before Logan gets home from school."

Another pause; more notes.

"Does he still have the visions?"

"He won't admit it, but I know he does."

"How can you tell?"

Jean paused, thinking for a moment before finally responding, "His eyes get all glassy, and its hard for him to stand. He usually can manage when I'm not around-which is a rare occasion-but he can only remain standing if they're the short ones. The long ones knock him out right away."

"Why don't you have Logan help cook dinner, and I'll go check on Marco, alright?"

Jean nodded, standing and starting to head upstairs. He came back down with the child resting on his hip only a few minutes later, "Go ahead."

Eren started the ascent upstairs, knocking on the door at the end of the hall, "Marco? You awake?"

A hushed voice let out a crackly answer, "Y-...Yeah."

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, offering him a smile, "How are you feeling?"

"Not a whole lot better obviously," he laughed, which turned into a fit of coughing.

The brunette went to sit on the edge of the bed, pulling out a stethoscope from his bag, "Seems so. I hear Logan learned how to ride a bike."

He nodded, smiling proudly, "He's growing up so fast. All thanks to you, ."

"Please, call me Eren."

Marco's eyes glazed over, an unusual time for him to have one of his balck-outs. After a moment his eyes returned to normal, and he sat bolt upright, gasping for air.

"You need to get home, Eren. _Now_."

"What's wrong? What did you see?" He stared at him, laying his hand on his shoulder with a worried expression.

"Go, . The Captain...he needs you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Just wanting to thank everyone who has kept up with reading this, and also thanks for the reviews! I greatly appreciate them. I realize sometimes the way I word things can get a bit confusing, so here's how it works:**

_"_Normal speech"

'_Voices inside Levi's head"_

_Normal thought_

**I honestly have no idea where I'm going with this anymore, but I really enjoy writing it so I promise it'll go on for a while. This chapter contains slight abuse, and the next one to come is going to be a lot more triggering so be warned.**

**I don't own Shingeki no Kyojyn...I wish I did, but unfortunately I don't. **

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><p>Levi lay on the black couch inside the living room, narrowing his eyes as Armin started barking.<p>

"Hush, dog. We may be the only people out here for miles, but you're giving me a headache."

The German Shepard sat in front of the door, barking loudly, and occasionally growling.

"Alright," he stood up, walking over to him and grabbing him by the collar before dragging him down the hall and into the master bedroom-the only bedroom, really.

He still persisted, even after Levi had sat on the bed with him and shut the door, "What is it?"

The dog quieted, laying his head on his paws and whining softly. Levi jumped when he heard a loud bang from outside. He turned to stare at the dog, lowering his voice to a whisper, "Is that what's bothering you?"

Armin jumped up and followed as Levi stood to walk back out into the living room, pulling back the curtain to look outside.

He thought he saw someone rushing in and out between the trees, but who was he to tell?

He _was_ schizophrenic. Not everything he saw was real.

Levi turned, watching as the dog pawed at the back door,

_Probably has to use the bathroom._

He went over to open the door, watching in amusement as the dog bolted outside and ran deep into the woods.

_'He will come back, Captain.'_

_'Try not to panic.'_

He sighed, leaving the door slightly ajar as he went to lay on the couch.

_I need some sleep._

Levi let his eyes flutter closed, drifting off to sleep without noticing the presence of someone stepping inside, and closing the door.

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><p>Levi Rivaille awoke a few hours later, the room still pitch black, despite the fact it was almost eight am.<p>

Well, the room was only dark to him. He became aware of this fact when he tried to rub his eyes but couldn't move any part of his body. He willed himself to get up, to move, to do /something/, but he got nowhere.

Suddenly light flooded the room, -the blindfold covering his eyes being removed-and Levi watched as a cloaked figure moved to sit on the coffee table in front of him.

"Where is he?" Levi could tell it was a woman by the way she sounded, but even so, he was still frightened.

"Who the hell are you? And what are you doing here? Why the hell can't I move?!"

Again, the voice remained monotone, "Where is he?"

"Who?!"

"Eren. Where is the Yaeger boy?"

Levi stopped trying to move, realizing -partly- why this woman was here.

He felt a sharp pain in his side, the kick to his ribs knocking the breath out of him, "_Where is he?_"

"I...I don't know," Levi coughed, surprised he could even manage that when his whole body was numb.

"Lies! I know you've been here for more than a day, so you have to know where he went! So tell me," she hissed, pulling out a sharp-bladed sword and holding it up to his neck, "Or I'll rip open your neck."

He blinked heavily, "He said...he was going on a trip for work. Thats all I know."

She clenched her jaw, moving the blade down to his ankle, using the handle to hit it violently, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Every half hour he isn't back, is another blow to your ankle. Got that?"

"He said he wouldn't be back until Friday at least!"

"Looks like you'll be in a wheel chair for bit then, huh?"

Levi gulped, closing his eyes as several voices erupted in his head.

_'He will be here to save you, Captain.'_

_'Eren is on his way to you now.'_

_Stop! He isn't coming. Not until tomorrow. And all he'll find is my lifeless and beaten body._

_'Nonsense! The boy cares for you, and he knows that something is wrong. Its only a matter of time before-'_

His mind flashed back to reality as he heard a scream-an all too familiar roar from..._that beast_- and his head throbbed from some unknown object flying and shattering against his skull.

Glass, he could tell.

Levi's eyes flew open as he heard another shout, this time less panicked as the one from before, "You! You...freak! You will burn in hell for all the people you've killed!"

Levi wanted to nod his head, completely agree with her words, but nonetheless, he couldn't move an inch-yet he still somehow felt pain.

He opened his eyes, seeing movement in the corner of his eye. It was _her:_ the girl who had killed his friends, who he had _let_ kill his friends.

But there was someone else, a face he couldn't see, which frightened him even more.

Before Levi could hear anymore of the fight, or try to watch it from the corner of his eye, another glass object shattered on his temple-within moments he was out again.


	8. Chapter 8

Eren drove down the dirt path as fast as he could, his eyes bloodshot from driving all through the night.

"Come on, please be there, please be okay," he muttered to himself.

He pressed down on the gas, riding down the rocky path to his cabin, "Levi...please be safe...please...don't let me find you dead from hurting yourself."

By the time he arrived at his door, it was already at least 1 pm. He saw a car parked outside in the driveway, one that he happened to know the owner of.

"Mikasa...shit...god damn it, Levi..." He parked his car haphazardly, killing the engine before grabbing his keys and bolting inside.

All Eren could do was gasp in shock; the sight of his sister's body laying in a pool of blood too much for him.

"Eren," she rasped, reaching out to him, "You're here...she...took Levi...he's gone...I tried..."

"H-he...that doesn't matter right now, we have to get you to a hospital." He dropped to his knees by her side, putting pressure on the wound on her side. It was a wide gash, Eren noted, observing how it seemed worse with every breath she took.

"No, Eren. She's going to...nng...kill him, if you don't hurry. She...is holding him hostage down by Maria creek...just go," she smiled softly, inhaling sharply as her eyes gleamed with the purest light Eren had ever seen, before it slowly disappeared.

Eren choked back a sob, putting a hand over his mouth.

He could only imagine what Levi would say to him right now, or what he had said to him in another life;

'Tell me, what is your job again?

To surrender to your emotions at the moment?'

The brunette stood slowly, whistling for his dog. He came out from behind the couch, his neck covered with blood-and not his own.

"Come on, boy...we need to save the Captain."


	9. Chapter 9

"Put me down, you bitch!"

"No way, you worthless little shit, not until I get what I want!" Annie screeched at him, shoving him down again.

"I'm here, Annie. You've got what you want. Now let him go," Eren stood across the field from her, coming out from behind a group of trees.

She grinned, letting go of Levi's arm, "Well, well, well, old friend. How have you been? Business going well?"

"So far. Heard you've been toying with Marco. Part of your plans then?" Eren took a step closer, glancing down at Levi before mouthing to him, "You okay?"

"Does it fucking look like it, brat?"

"Sorry. I know I'm a little late."

"You're early. You werent supposed to be home til tomorrow, ass." He smiled softly.

He came to get rid of Annie.

"Hey! Maybe save your lovely little conversation for later, huh?" Annie glared down at Levi, using the end of her blade to take another blow against his ankle. He howled in pain, arching his back and sitting bolt upright, "Fuck, you bitch!"

"Levi!" Eren ran halfway across the field before Levi yelled at him to stop.

Annie laughed maliciously, kicking his back to knock him down again, "Come on then, Eren. You, or your little lover boy. Who's it gonna be?"

"Me. Now let him go," Eren clenched his fists and whistled, calling his horse in. "Take him out of here..."

"No! Eren, you cant!" Levi struggled to his feet, limping over to him before collapsing. The brunette easily lifted him up, setting him on the horse before sending it off, "Just go, Levi."

He struggled to stop the horse, almost falling off as he did, "Eren! She's gonna kill you! Don't!"

The blonde woman chuckled, "Thats right, Levi. But dont worry, I'll make it painful. /Very/ painful."

"Levi...I..." Eren started, before Levi disappeared into the trees, "Love you," he mumbled, looking down at his feet, then at Annie.

"Did you think I wouldnt find you? It took me quite some time, but eventually I did. All I had to do was find your sister and follow her. She led me to Levi, and he led me to you. I went mad when I thought he was lost, screamed pretty loudly. I think that made him sick. Which is how you found him, right?"

"Lets just get this over with, Annie. I have no time for your games."

"Oh, but I think you do. I've waited years for this, Eren. I've waited years to kill you, and now I have that chance. So I'm not just gonna give up the opportunity to toy with you," she narrowed her eyes, walking him over to him and circling around him. "You've gotten taller."

"Annie...promise me you'll leave him alone. You can put me through as much hell as you want...but you cannot touch Levi again," he squeezed his eyes shut, holding in tears.

Eren was afraid. He didn't want to die. He knew leaving Levi on his own would only make things worse, but he would literally rather die than have to lose him after waiting so long to find the man that haunted his dreams since he was a child.

"Tch. You really think I'm just gonna let him go? No way. If he found you, he can find Marco and the others, and for all I know, they could get home. So I have no choice but to kill him. I'll cut him some slack though, make it painless."

"No! You don't touch him! You leave him be! He has enough problems already...please...leave him be, Annie," Eren opened his eyes, staring at the blonde before him.

"You truly care about him, dont you?"

"Yes...so please...let him live in peace..."

"Fine. Let's begin, shall we?" She smiled, kicking Eren's back to knock him to his knees. She drew her blade, holding it to the back of his neck, "No one to save you now, is there?"

"Get it over with, alright?" He closed his eyes, sighing. "Can I...do something really fast?"

"You have 60 seconds."

He grabbed a small notebook from his pocket, snatching a pen as well. He used his last moments to scribbled down a quick letter to Levi, telling him everything he could with what little time he had.

"Alright...thank you," he slid the note book back into his pocket, only hoping Levi would find it there.

She smirked, pressing the blade against the front of his throat, and ripping it across slowly.


	10. Chapter 10

**So this will be the last chapter, guys. I might do like a 2nd part to the story, but otherwise this is the last you'll read from it c: **

**Im working on a new Ereri fic, which Im really excited for. Read and review cx**

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><p>~<em>Cause theres no comfort in the waiting room<em>

_Just nervous pacers bracing for bad news_

_And then the nurse comes round and everyone will lift their heads_

_But I'm thinking of what /You/ said that "Love is watching someone die"_

_So who's gonna watch you die?.._~

Levi Rivaille grew up alone, in a foster home, and he had gotten himself in with the wrong people, let himself take the wrong path into a life never made for him. It wasnt made for anybody, really. Especially him.

Around when he was 19, he started seeing things, people that werent really there. Thats when his terrible nightmares became reality for him, and the monsters cane out to play.

But so did the friends. The leaders. The guides to help him along the way. And everyone should know-especially poor little Levi- that with shelter comes a storm. And thats exactly what he got.

Thats when he met Mikasa. And he told her everything. About the people he saw, the things he heard. Albeit her support, she had him committed. And he'd been in Gale Mercy since age 20.

And today was the day he was going to get out.

To him, his time was running short-or thats what his friends said anyway.

He had exactly 102 days to find the people from his dreams, and stop them from killing each other off.

Sooner or later he knew he'd have to escape. He knew he'd have to break out of that cursed hell whole and run for his life.

But this time he'd lay low. Let his life settle out. Things would be quiet for a bit, and then he could find all those people...the ones who were still alive, of course.

He knew their names.

Eren.

Jean.

Marco.

Annie.

Mikasa.

Berdholdt.

And he knew there was others. So many others.

But right now, he had to focus on finding /him/. The boy he knew he was meant to love. To be with.

But getting out was not easy. Not easy because who know where the boy was? Where was he to begin his search? The boy could be in another state. Hell, he could be halfway across the world.

But Levi knew better. All of them were close. So close to him but so far away and if he didn't find them soon, he'd loose them all.

Most might say his eyes were blue. Some would say they were green. But Levi knew better. They were both.

Eren's eyes were glittering green like the sea, and a shimmering blue like the sky. They were his whole world all at once.

But what happens when your whole world is darkened and gone? Doesn't that mean you're gone too?

To Levi, it did.

So as he lay awake in the chair by Eren's hospital bed, everything went through his mind at once. All the voices, screaming:

_ 'Do not do anything reckless, Levi, please.'_

_ 'He is okay.'_

_ 'He will be fine.'_

"He's dead," Levi hissed, still clutching Eren's cold and lifeless hand. "He is dead and you are all fucking ignoring that."

_ 'His heart is still beating, Captain._'

"But he's not alive. The doctor even said he may never wake up again. And we all know what that means."

He was cut off as someone knocked on the door, and he looked up to see a nurse come in.

"Im just here to check his vital signs, . I'll only be a moment," the brunette offered him a smile, moving to stand on the other side of Eren.

"What was your name again?"

"Ah, Berdholdt. But only my friends call me that. You can just call me...well, actually, Berdholdt is good," he laughed softly, nervously.

"Its okay to think I'm crazy. You know I am. I'm glad you havent told anyone yet...how long have you known?"

"Ah...I saw you when you came in with the boy, and I didnt think it was you. Why would you come back when you knew you had to find everyone? But I suppose I would have done the same, if it were-"

"I understand. But they'll figure it out soon," Levi paused, staring down at his own pale hand in Eren's even paler one. "Take care of him, alright? You make sure he lives."

"Well, like the doctor said, he's going to-"

"No. You dont let that happen. You save him, and you save him for me."

Levi stood slowly, hesitating. He leaned down to kiss Eren's forehead, his eyes watering, "Love you, brat."

He turned on his heel, walking out the door, and ignoring the frantic sound of the heart monitor as he walked outside, and never looked back.


End file.
